1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Zoot Suit. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
In Los Angeles during the 1940's, tension between the Chicano people and White people arose. Zoot Suit Riots broke out due to thee tensions which derived from the white people's anger that Hispanic people were not required to be in the draft during WWII. They sought it unfair that white people had to fight for the country but the Hispanics did not. During these riots, those who wore Zoot Suits were disrespected, discriminated against, and even attacked. The police during this time frame would sometimes be corrupt and allow for the attacks. The 38th street gang, led by Henry Reyna, accidentally shows up to a party hosted by the people they had an earlier altercation with (Downey Gang) and they end up getting in another altercation where they discover a member of the William's ranch dead which led to the arrest of the 38th Street Gang without tangible evidence.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
The intrusion of the play is when the 38th Street Gang is convicted of the murder of the William's Ranch member.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
The unique factor is that due to the encounter of the 38th Street Gang and the Downey Gang at the Ranch, they ended up getting arrested even though the murder occurred before they arrived. This was a matter of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. It didn't help that tensions were high and mass discrimination was already placed during this time frame against the Chicano theatre.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrustion.)
Will the Chicano and White community ever get along?
5. Use Henry to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a charcter. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
Me (Chicano community) against society. The primary conflict was associated with the Chicano Community against the White Community (which predominated society even though mass migration was occurring throughout this timeframe).
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Zoot Suit. There are more than one.
The most theatrical moment is when the 38th Street Gang gets arrested and the scene of the Zoot Suit Riots.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Zoot Suit. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
Zoot Suit; this cultural attire represented what the Chicano community stood for.
Newspapers also were a crucial factor as they were one of the main media outlets that dispersed bad information of the Chicano people and the role of Zoot Suits in society, essentially increasing conflicts.
Police officers is another image that I think is worth noting as they are supposed to be the ones who are impartial and maintain justice within society where it seems that in Zoot Suit they almost did the complete opposite.
The title "Zoot Suit" was an embodiment of the Chicano community and helps us understand images impacted their culture.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Zoot Suit.
Discrimination
Prejudice
Injustice
Racism
Ethnic conflicts
Violence
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Zoot Suit?
The role of family in Zoot Suit was represented as the Chicano Community. They stuck together through the worse times of discrimination against their kind which bonded them together as a family essentially strengthening their community rather than weakening it.
In Los Angeles during the 1940's, tension between the Chicano people and White people arose. Zoot Suit Riots broke out due to thee tensions which derived from the white people's anger that Hispanic people were not required to be in the draft during WWII. They sought it unfair that white people had to fight for the country but the Hispanics did not. During these riots, those who wore Zoot Suits were disrespected, discriminated against, and even attacked. The police during this time frame would sometimes be corrupt and allow for the attacks. The 38th street gang, led by Henry Reyna, accidentally shows up to a party hosted by the people they had an earlier altercation with (Downey Gang) and they end up getting in another altercation where they discover a member of the William's ranch dead which led to the arrest of the 38th Street Gang without tangible evidence.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
The intrusion of the play is when the 38th Street Gang is convicted of the murder of the William's Ranch member.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
The unique factor is that due to the encounter of the 38th Street Gang and the Downey Gang at the Ranch, they ended up getting arrested even though the murder occurred before they arrived. This was a matter of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. It didn't help that tensions were high and mass discrimination was already placed during this time frame against the Chicano theatre.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrustion.)
Will the Chicano and White community ever get along?
5. Use Henry to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a charcter. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
Me (Chicano community) against society. The primary conflict was associated with the Chicano Community against the White Community (which predominated society even though mass migration was occurring throughout this timeframe).
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Zoot Suit. There are more than one.
The most theatrical moment is when the 38th Street Gang gets arrested and the scene of the Zoot Suit Riots.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Zoot Suit. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Zoot Suit.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Zoot Suit?
The role of family in Zoot Suit was represented as the Chicano Community. They stuck together through the worse times of discrimination against their kind which bonded them together as a family essentially strengthening their community rather than weakening it.